The Pierre Rock House, San Juan Islands

Quite literally nestled inside the rocks near the shore of one of Washington State’s San Juan Islands, The Pierre (literally, French for stone) was inspired by owner Merrill White’s desire to live atop a stone outcropping. Architect Tom Kundig of the Olson Kundig architectural firm went one better, and rather than seating the home about a rock outcropping, he dynamited into the rock itself to create a stone seat overlooking the sea. Depending on your point of view, the home completely disappears into the landscape, and much of what is visible is the imposing concrete that juts out above ground. Fittingly for a part of the country known for its devotion to green practices, the home’s floor is created from crushed pieces of the rock that was excavated, and the roof holds a lush lawn system that collects and recycles water.